The Forbidden Name
by Definitely Not Kelly
Summary: [SPOILERS - Up to chapter 55] Hiyori has died, but Yato has been given the chance to still be with her. After coming across her spirit, he decides to take her to be his regalia. With this new Hiyori having no recollection of him or anything related to him- and now never allowed to recall those memories again- will Yato's choice end up being the right one?
1. Chapter 1: The Sound of Doves

Chapter 1: The Sound of Doves

"You, who have nowhere to go and nowhere to return… My name is Yato."

He stood on top of an unlit street light, looking down at the teenage girl that had stopped among the cherry trees. At the sound of his voice she had turned her head to face him. Despite the eery silence of the dark night, her brown eyes were bright and curious. And they never looked away from his. Unable to hold her gaze, he closed his eyes, only allowing himself a few more seconds to hesitate before continuing with his command.

"Relinquish thy name in death, and become my servant bearing the name I bestow."

His eyes opened, and he forced the best straight face he could manage before calling out the final words. Her large eyes had widened, registering what power a god's words held over her soul. She clutched a hand to her chest, as if to brace herself, but Yato continued.

"Thy name is its reading, thy vessel its sound. By my decree you become my regalia. Thy name is Hato, thy vessel, Kyuu! Come, Kyuuki!"

In the next moment, a light engulfed the girl entirely, until that light found its way into Yato's hands and its form became a weapon. His eyes softened when he found his new regalia had become a sword- a gun sword, more accurately. The blade gleamed like silver under the moonlight, the hilt wearing a traditional Japanese tsuka design, with a trigger attached. She at least became a useful regalia, he thought, but that was the farthest he let himself think on the matter.

"Your name is Hatone," he said with a small smile. Already, the weapon transformed back to her human form, the light quickly dressing her in nothing but a white robe. The kanji for "Hato" wasn't in view, but Yato instinctively knew it had sealed itself on the skin by her hip. The girl's dark brown hair fell down her back as her bare feet slowly landed atop the same street light to stand across from him. It took everything in him not to cry.

As she tilted her head and gazed at Yato with nothing but uncertainty, Yato was unable to clear his own uncertainty that consumed his entire being. How was he going to not screw this up more than he already had?

It was impossible to recognize his regalia under any other name but Hiyori.

* * *

"Yatty..."

"So you see… When I saw my adorable Hatone alone in the park, I just couldn't help it!"

Sitting out on the wooden floors right in front of the half-open sliding doors, Hatone waited while her _god_ went inside to talk with the woman of the house: Kofuku. The corner of the regalia's mouth twitched. Even with her back turned to him, it was impossible to ignore the strange man in the jersey claiming to be her master. If it wasn't for the fact that she knew she was dead, she would have said she was kidnapped.

"Are you the god of perversion?" Hatone asked in a low voice, her question rhetorical. To her shock, the door behind her slid completely open within an instant. She turned her head and looked up at the pervert in question standing over her. His impossibly blue eyes were glistening with tears, his teeth clenched together. He was clearly horrified she could think of such a thing.

"I'm a god of fortune! _Fortune_! Have more faith in your god!"

Unwittingly, Hatone felt her eyes narrow without her control. She gave a weak smile, but her attention then focused on the petite pink-haired woman sitting at the table inside the room. Once the two made eye-contact, Kofuku never let up her gaze. Hatone quickly felt uncomfortable under the scrutiny of those purple eyes, never-minding the indecipherable smile on the poverty goddess's lips.

"I can't help you, Yatty," she said, at last breaking eye-contact. "Not with Daikoku here." She folded her arms and rested her chin on top of them. Yato became rigid, staring hard at the grass in front of the house. Hatone furrowed her brow.

"Daikoku?" she echoed.

Kofuku let out a long and dragged out sigh, stretching her arms before slumping over the table and later crawling over it. Tensing up, Hatone wasn't sure how to respond when Kofuku gently placed a hand on the regalia's cheek.

"How tragic. I hope I can get the chance to meet you again, Hatone."

Yato's expression soured, but he didn't protest. The truth was he understood. He hopped onto the grass and held his hand out for Hatone. She looked at his hand for a few moments before hopping down and walking past him, ignoring the gesture. Behind her, she could hear an exaggerated sniff from the man she snubbed.

"You're so cold, Hi-"

She turned her head, unsure what it was Yato was going to say, but she didn't expect to see his expression twisted with such genuine guilt and shock. He averted his gaze as soon as she tried to meet his.

"Yatty, what about Yukki?" Kofuku asked, the front of her body leaning against the side of the door.

"Let him sleep. I'll talk to him later."

Kofuku pursed her lips, but then she went back inside the house, shutting the doors behind her. Yato started walking off into the streets, glancing back once to make sure Hatone would follow. The regalia sighed to herself, already beginning to grow tired of all the chaos she was thrown into.

"So what was that all about?" she asked, a couple steps behind Yato. She didn't know where the tracksuit man intended to go, but she trusted him to know what he was doing.

"What was what?" he asked defensively with his nose in the air, playing dumb.

 _A five-year old can act better than you,_ Hatone thought to herself. Letting it go for the moment, she decided to attack from a different angle.

"Well, can you explain what happened to me? You said I'm a regalia." She looked down at the palms of her hands. At just the sound of her name "Kyuuki" earlier that night, she had become a different being entirely. A weapon. Yato slowed in his steps, though they never stopped walking. His hands were stuck inside the pockets of his jersey and he didn't look back at her.

"Yeah, a regalia. A sacred tool of the gods. I've permitted you to stay by my side," he answered, and Hatone could eventually hear a smile in his voice. "Doesn't that make you happy?"

Hatone gave it some thought.

"A god? And you said your name was Yato?"

Despite not being able to see his face, she could sense his smile growing.

"You can call me Lord Yato if you'd like."

Hatone looked up at the sky, her eye catching onto the few stars that broke through the night of the city. She hummed thoughtfully.

"I've never heard of you."

Yato stopped and whirled around. "Are you bullying me on purpose?" he muttered, glaring at nothing in particular to the side. Mystified by how such a person had the title of a god, Hatone then wondered just how little happiness her fate had allowed her in death, when a gleaming yellow color caught her eye.

"So regalias are for… fighting?"

"Sometimes. Mostly phantoms," Yato answered, if not a little bitterly.

"Th-then… would that be...?" Crooking her finger in the direction behind Yato, Hatone stiffened as the gleam of yellow slowly emerged from the shadows of an alleyway.

" _Smells nice."_ The distorted voice sent a chill down her spine, and it soon became clear that the yellow took the form of a monkey. The empty white holes that were meant to be its eyes were locked onto Yato.

"Point it out sooner!" Yato exclaimed with his body twisted in a defensive stance. Relaxing and grinning, he exchanged glances with Hatone. "Come, Kyuuki!"

Caught off guard, Hatone was in Yato's hand in the next second as a weapon. Already, he aimed in the direction of the phantom that leapt for them and pulled the trigger. Not yet concentrating, the bullet went too far left.

"It's okay, you can do this!" Yato encouraged without any deterrent in his actions. He faced the phantom head-on and swung his blade. Internally, Hatone prepared herself for the hit, making it her mission to cut the phantom down. She gleamed as soon as she saw the thing cut in half and then shatter. Was her job really so easy? Unabashed joy started to run through her.

That was, until the street light fell over and brick walls protecting houses crumbled around them. Another street light began to flicker and the vending machine that Hatone had struck when the gun was shot let out a fizzling noise.

 _The town!_ Hatone thought in a panic as she witnessed the collateral damage from their attack.

"Revert, Hatone."

Her hands covering her mouth, Hatone shook at the sight. "Don't people live around here?"

Yato grimaced, tilting his head and taking in the mess, too. He laughed.

"Well…" He folded his arms and surveyed their area of damage on the street.

"That was great for a first job."

Yato met her eyes and his lips settled into a grin, and Hatone was surprised by the genuine praise he had given her.

Before she could get a word out, Hatone caught onto the flickering street light that stood over the duo. Yato turned to it, as if only vaguely surprised. Making a creaking noise, the light began to tip over, and- through Hatone's eyes- it was threatening to crush them in its wake.

"Yato!" she yelled, running into his chest and knocking him down in an absurdly fast movement. Skidding over a few good meters away from where the light actually fell, she felt her heart beating in her chest erratically. In truth, their deaths had not been as narrow as she initially thought, but she still had to recover herself. She took deep breaths while still laying on top of her supposed god. A part of her was amazed.

She was dead, but she was still able to feel her heart beating in her chest.

Flushed from the commotion, Hatone sat up and glanced at Yato. He was still on the ground, lying flat on his back as if dazed.

"I'm sorry! Are you okay?" she asked, her hand hovering over him. Yato smiled weakly, and then he sat up.

"Were you trying to save me?" he asked gently, his piercing blue eyes staring straight into hers. Hatone blinked, thinking the answer was obvious, but there was something in the way he looked at her that made her unable to respond. He reached to grab her hand that she had hanging in the air, wrapping his fingers over hers. His hand was clammy- she assumed it was because of their brief battle- but it was also incredibly warm.

"I would have… dodged it…"

"Yato?" The flush didn't leave her cheeks. A part of her thought she should let go. After all, this was just a no-name god in a jersey. A no-name god in a jersey that she just met, no less. Yet, when he pulled her into his arms, she didn't find it in her to break away.

"H-Hatone," he whispered, holding her a little tighter.

Not understanding what overcame him, Hatone resigned. She would allow him to hold onto her, at least for a short while. She closed her eyes, Yato's hold burrowing her face into the warmth of his shoulder.

He was a no-name god in a jersey that she just met, and he even smelled a little sweaty.

But somehow, it was a familiar… _nice_ … scent.

* * *

Thanks for reading, guys! Remember feedback is loved and appreciated.  
For anyone who's curious, Hiyori's new name Hatone is written 鳩音.  
鳩 - Dove/pigeon 音 - Sound


	2. Chapter 2: Boundary Lines

Chapter 2: Boundary Lines

Hatone's smile, which had stayed on her face after Yato scurried off, quickly fell when he returned with his new offering of garments in his hands.

"A god of perversion," she said with fear laced in her voice, taking a step back and her eyes widening in disbelief. Though the clothes were clean and Hatone didn't particularly mind the dark green color of the blazer and pleated skirt, it was clear she couldn't get past the fact Yato's first choice of attire for her was a high school uniform. Yato pouted and stretched the outfit further in her direction.

"You don't like it? What's wrong with it?" he demanded, offended.

"Gods, please help me," Hatone said, squeezing her eyes shut and clasping her hands together.

"Hatone!"

Leaning against a wall inside an alleyway, the blonde regalia let out a long sigh, enduring the two's squabble. It was only day one and Hatone was already so skeptical over a god like Yato. Yukine couldn't blame her, really. His amber eyes lingered on the face of the new regalia, watching her as she opened her eyes to look up at Yato. Though it wasn't cold yet in autumn, Hatone wore Yato's jersey jacket over her shoulders with her white robe. Her lips were pressed together in a line, unsettled and confused.

Hatone.

Yukine didn't give too much thought on the possibility of Yato attaining a new regalia. How could the god even afford to while wandering aimlessly around Japan? Minus the small plot of land they could only comfortably stand on in the heavens, they didn't even have a home. Besides, even if he had considered it, Yukine assumed he probably wouldn't have liked it. He definitely didn't like it when he found out about Yato using Nora.

However, he never would have considered Hiyori.

The girl turned her head, meeting eyes with the younger regalia and smiling softly.

* * *

After Hiyori's death, time had become a blur for him. It was when he woke up each morning he realized yet another day had come to pass without her. It was such a strange concept to grasp. Yukine had suffered the loss of a friend before, and even then he'd been a mess- but Hiyori was different. Hiyori had been there since the beginning. He anticipated she'd be gone someday, but never did he expect it to happen like it did. Not so soon. Not so abruptly.

Memories would frequently replay in his head. If they had noticed sooner, would they have been able to save her? How much time had already passed when he and Yato found her body unconscious, her soul nowhere near by? They hadn't even panicked at first. She had been lying down in the school nurse's office so peacefully. They only meant to check on her after her move to her grandmother's house. It wasn't until they came back later in the day that they realized she was still asleep with no sign of waking.

" _Miss Iki?_ " The nurse had tried to stir the high schooler awake, shaking Hiyori's body gently. Yukine stood there in faint disbelief, his mind trying to come up with a safe explanation for why she had left her body for so long. If she wasn't with them…

Yato had been the first to act. He immediately jumped off the window they had entered through, landing smoothly before racing off towards an unknown direction away from the school. Yukine had called after him, but Yato demanded he stayed behind.

From there, Yukine followed Yato in secret, only to find him banging on a door of some unknown apartment complex. His eyes widened as the god repeatedly called out for his father, before Yato burst into the apartment. When Yato later walked out- his blue eyes filled with rage- Yukine already knew the god found no one. Glowering at the ground, Yukine decided to return back to Kofuku's, knowing Yato would be looking for him next. They ended up looking for Hiyori's soul for all of two days.

In the midst of their search, Hiyori's body had taken her final breath.

* * *

Directly before Yukine was introduced to Hatone, the regalia could automatically tell something was different when he found Yato patiently waiting for him to wake up.

Two weeks had passed since Hiyori's death. It was only dawn when Yukine awoke, Yato lying on the ground of the spare room Kofuku had granted him. Sitting up from his futon, Yukine squinted at the window. It was clearly about to be day but Yato didn't seem like he had slept at all throughout the night. When he thought about it, Yukine didn't know what Yato did during the night anymore. The god had become despondent and distant. Sometimes he would force his usual silly behavior, but he fooled no one.

Yet, once Yato turned his head in Yukine's direction, the regalia was able to see the shadow of his former self in his eyes. The god was smiling, and though there was still a hint of sadness in his eyes, there was something else. Something like hope.

"Yukine. There's something I need to tell you," he said, serious. The god sat up, and Yukine glanced around after realizing the jersey jacket wasn't anywhere in sight. Quirking his brow, Yukine met Yato's eyes with curiosity.

"Yeah? What's up?" Yato didn't let up his gaze. Yukine began to tense, acknowledging this unusual behavior probably warranted more bad news. What else was going to go wrong?

"I found Hiyori's soul last night."

Yato opened his mouth to continue speaking, but Yukine was quick to throw the covers of the futon off himself. There already was a renewed light behind Yukine's amber eyes, though it was clear the boy was still incredulous.

"What? Does that mean that we can see her?" he asked eagerly, and Yato hesitated. "She's still here then, right? She didn't… pass on?" Yato averted his gaze.

"She's become my regalia."

It seemed like brilliant news. If it wasn't for Yato's somber manner, Yukine would have been beaming. If Hiyori was a regalia, then didn't that mean she could be with them indefinitely? He pictured her roaming the streets with them like they had before. He could see her sitting down and studying with him at Kofuku's again, a large smile stretching over her lips whenever he would get something right. She could remain their friend. They wouldn't have to worry about her forgetting about them ever again.

It was then that his mind slowly processed his own thoughts. She wouldn't forget them. She _shouldn't_ forget them.

"Does… Hiyori remember us?"

A beat passed. Yato exhaled deeply and rested his arm on his knee, staring out into the window. The answer to the question became obvious.

"Her name is Hatone now. Yukine, you have to promise me. You must never say 'Hiyori' again."

"Why?" he asked, his hope drowned out by pain and confusion.

"Promise me, Yukine." The god's voice became stern. Yato stared straight into Yukine's eyes, and though Yukine felt annoyed by being left in the dark, he understood the gravity of Yato's request. More light seeped into the room, the blue sky growing brighter as the sun rose higher.

"...I promise."

* * *

"Like this?" Hatone asked, lifting her index and middle finger at once.

Fully dressed in casual clothing, Hatone stood before Yukine in a pink long-sleeve, green shorts, and beige boots. It looked a little like how she would normally dress, and he faintly wondered if that was the point- seeing as how Yato created a losing battle with the high school uniform. Snapping out of his thoughts, Yukine pulled a quick smile.

"Yeah, that's right." He brought his own two fingers up in demonstration, and drew a short line between Hatone and himself. Hatone mimicked the motion, but nothing resulted from it. Pursing her lips, Hatone furrowed her brow and tried again. She sighed.

"I learned with a real phantom," Yukine commented, looking at the surface where she tried to draw a line across. "You'll get it after a while." When he glanced back at her, he was surprised to see her watching him intently with that same smile on her face.

"Thanks, Yukine," she said, her voice sincere. Her eyes then went past him to look around the park area where they were left to wait. Not many people passed by the nearby trail, and she seemed to already catch on that any who did wouldn't notice them anyway. The trees stood tall around them, most still green though several had deeply yellowed. She turned around, leaning her arms against the wooden fencing.

"Where did Yato go off to?" she asked, looking back at Yukine.

"He probably went to get his shrine." Avoiding her eyes, Yukine had his hands in the pockets of his green jacket. Hatone laughed.

"So he's a real god after all."

Unable to help it, Yukine let out a laugh as well, knowing he had his own doubts when he first became a regalia. There were still times he doubted just how much of a god Yato really was. He exchanged smiles with Hatone, and like that the sun began to set over them, closing his first day with this new regalia.

A breeze rustled through the leaves in the park; otherwise, it was quiet. The girl seemed content to look out into the scenery, while Yukine continued to look at her from the corners of his eyes. She brushed away a lock of her long brown hair that had fallen over her face from the wind.

"Hatone," Yukine began, the name sounding wrong on his tongue. He hesitated, not sure if he should continue any further, but Hatone had already granted him her full attention. He met her brown eyes evenly. "Do you not remember anything… from when you were human?"

Hatone blinked, and it took another few seconds for her to fully answer.

"I haven't even thought about it," she answered, facing the sky. She became thoughtful, but her shoulders dropped after another pause. "I can't remember anything, really. What about you, Yukine?" she asked in return, smiling again.

"Well… no... "

In the next second, the patter of hasty footsteps stole their attention.

"Hatone! Yukine!" their tracksuit god called from a small distance, his small crafted shrine in one arm. He grinned widely, and Yukine caught sight of the large sack of unforeseen items that Yato had also carried with him in his other hand.

"Hey, Yato! Just how much are you going to mooch off Kofuku!?"

* * *

Somehow, they were back to sleeping outside again.

Clutching the blanket closer to him, Yukine suppressed a yawn and tried to forget about the fact he was lying down on a park bench. He didn't understand why Hiyori being Hatone now required them to leave Kofuku's place, but Yato had brushed him off completely when he asked.

" _It'll be fun! Just like old times!"_ The sheer idea that Yato tried to pass it off as a pleasant thought made Yukine shiver from disgust.

Yukine peeked from underneath his blanket, finding Hatone fast asleep in the bench opposite to his. She slept with her face towards his direction. Why couldn't she know about her past life? Why did they hold it back when he and Yato could tell her so much? As much as he was glad that Hatone existed, he missed _Hiyori_. The thought made him start to tear up, and he remembered how she had so often defended him and cared for him- how she didn't give up on him. For an instant, he felt cheated that Yato wanted to erase all that.

After another few minutes, Yukine calmed down, finally drifting on the verge of sleep. His eyelids grew heavy and he closed his eyes obediently. As he was about to succumb, he heard Yato's footsteps against the park's trail path. Fighting against the weight of his eyes, Yukine saw him stop in front of Hatone's bench. His blue eyes were soft. The god crouched down, making himself at the same level as her face. Yato was smiling gently, and Yukine recalled he himself had done a bit of that today, too- smiling.

Watching Yato, Yukine's earlier frustration was wiped away with ease. Yukine wasn't the only one. Yato missed Hiyori, too. All of Hiyori.

Yato was probably the one most hurt by her lost memories.

Yukine watched the two with silent understanding, slightly dazed, up until the point where Yato pulled out the camera on his phone. The god of "fortune" pulled a big grin, resting his face just an inch away from Hatone's and taking the photo.

 _What is he doing?_ Yukine thought, his lips parting and his eyes narrowing at the shameless depravity.

In the morning, Yukine didn't even complain when he was startled awake by Yato's sudden outcry before the sun had come to rise.

"Boundary line!" Hatone snapped reflexively, the light rapidly following the direction of her fingers. Yukine sat up groggily, looking at the corrupt god who had fallen back in shock. Hatone brought her legs closer to her body and it was clear she was the one who had the biggest scare waking up that morning.

"Hatone! There's a godly explanation for this!"

 _Good job, Hatone,_ Yukine thought with his eyes still closed, lying back down.

* * *

Aaand that concludes Chapter Two.  
Holy crap, 10 followers after one chapter. I definitely didn't expect that. Thanks for all the reviews, follows, and favs, guys!  
The focus of this chapter was based on Yukine's POV. I don't know how well-received that will be, but I plan to focus more on Hatone/Hiyori and Yato from here.

Thanks again! Feedback is still loved and appreciated.


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